The Categories of Vows and the Ruling on Each Category

He also asks and says: In our village, when a person encounters something disliked, he says: "If Allah removes this disliked thing from me, I will slaughter an animal at the grave of so-and-so Shaykh." Is it permissible to eat from this slaughtered animal? And is it permissible to fulfill this vow if the disliked thing is removed?
Answer: There is a detailed ruling regarding vows: If the vow is an act of obedience to Allah, such as saying: "It is obligatory upon me for the sake of Allah that if Allah heals my sick person so-and-so, I will pray so much, or fast for so many days, or a month, or the like, or give charity of so much," this is a vow of obedience. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . So if he says: "If Allah heals my sick person, or returns my absent one, or I am healed from such-and-such, I will fast for Allah five days or ten days, give charity of a thousand dirhams, or pray so much," all of this is a vow of obedience. When the desired outcome occurs, it becomes obligatory for him to fulfill it.
As for if the vow is a disobedience to Allah, it is not fulfilled; because of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . So if he says: "It is obligatory upon me for the sake of Allah that if Allah heals my sick person, I will slaughter an animal for so-and-so Shaykh, for al-Badawi, or for al-Husayn, or for Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir, or for others," this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is not permissible; it is not lawful to fulfill it, and he must repent to Allah from it; because this is major shirk. Slaughter for the dead, seeking nearness to them through slaughters or vows, is major shirk. Worship is the right of Allah alone. ... He says, Exalted is He: [al-Isra: 23]. And He says, Exalted is He: [al-An'am: 162], meaning: Say, O Muhammad, to the people: [al-An'am: 162], meaning: my slaughter. [al-An'am: 162-163]. And He says, Exalted is He, to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): [al-Kawthar: 1-2]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . So it is not permissible to slaughter for the jinn, nor for the Shaykhs who have graves, nor for others among idols, trees, stones, angels, or prophets. No, slaughter is for Allah alone. Seeking nearness is for Allah through slaughter, such as sacrifices and offerings, for Allah alone, Blessed and Exalted is He. So he says: "It is obligatory upon me for the sake of Allah that if Allah heals my sick person, I will slaughter so much for Allah alone, a camel, a cow, or a slaughter from the sheep for Allah alone." This is a nearness and obedience, and he must fulfill it. As for slaughtering for so-and-so Shaykh, seeking nearness to him so that he may intercede for him or heal his sick person, this is major shirk. Likewise, if he says: "O so-and-so Shaykh, heal my sick person or help me," or "O Messenger of Allah, heal me or help me," or "O Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir, help me," or "O Shaykh Ahmad al-Badawi," or "O my master al-Husayn," or "O so-and-so Shaykh, help me," or "heal my sick person or return my absent one," all of this is from major shirk, because it is not permissible to call upon the dead, nor seek aid from the dead, nor make vows for them, nor ask the jinn, nor make vows for them, nor seek nearness to idols of stones or others. All of this is a great abomination and major shirk. Allah says, Exalted is He: [al-Jinn: 18]. And He says, Exalted is He: [Yunus: 106], meaning: the polytheists. And He said: : [al-Zumar: 2-3]. And He says, Exalted is He: [al-Bayyinah: 5].
It is obligatory to make worship pure for Allah alone. This includes supplication, fear, hope, slaughter, and vows; all of it is worship that must be for Allah alone. Nothing of it is to be directed to idols, scholars, prophets, jinn, trees, angels, or anyone else. Worship is the right of Allah alone .
Likewise, if he says: "It is obligatory upon me for the sake of Allah that if Allah heals my sick person or returns my absent one, I will drink intoxicants or commit zina (unlawful sexual intercourse)," this is a disobedience to Allah and is not fulfilled. This is a great abomination; seeking nearness to Allah through sins is a great abomination. It is not permissible for him to fulfill it, and he must pay the expiation for an oath for this invalid vow, for the vow of disobedience.
In summary, vows are divided into categories. If a vow is made for Allah alone and constitutes obedience to Him, it is obligatory to fulfill it. If it involves disobedience or shirk (associating partners with Allah), it is not to be fulfilled. In the case of disobedience, repentance is obligatory, and in the case of shirk, repentance is obligatory. As for a vow that is neither shirk nor disobedience nor obedience, such as "I vow to Allah that I will visit so-and-so" or "I will eat so-and-so's food," the person has a choice: he may visit or he may expiate his vow without visiting or eating the food. He has a choice because this is permissible. Or, "I vow to Allah that I will invite so-and-so and prepare food for him"; he has a choice: he may invite him or he may leave it. However, if he does not invite him and does not fulfill his vow, he must pay the expiation for an oath, which is feeding ten poor people, clothing them, or freeing a slave. If he is unable to do so, he must fast for three days. This is the expiation for an oath, as our Lord specified in Surat al-Ma'idah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.